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Cropping Threatens Wildlife Conservation in Zimbabwe: Official

Posted on: Saturday, 4 March 2006, 09:00 CST

Cropping threatens wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe: official

HARARE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government is seeking ways to make the land-based wildlife policy effectively operational by banning extensive cropping that stalls proper wildlife management in various conservancies countrywide, local media reported on Friday.

Minister of Environment and Tourism Francis Nhema told The Herald newspaper on Thursday that the conservation of wildlife was being threatened by lack of knowledge by some people resettled in the wildlife sanctuaries.

He said to demonstrate their lack of knowledge, some people were venturing into cropping near game reserves where climatic conditions do not sustain any crop farming activities.

"We are targeting certain areas that we think should strictly be a preserve of wildlife farming. What we want is to make wildlife land use policy operational and make sure that all those settling in those areas abide by what is stipulated in our policy, " Nhema said.

He said the policy looks at how the newly resettled farmers could play a part and participate in the development of wildlife by making them aware of the value of the country's natural resources.

"Cropping is not a good option in areas such as the Gonarezhou area in Chiredzi in the south of the country. We have discovered that after the failure of cropping, some people were venturing into illegal harvesting of wildlife, a menace that we would like to curb by finding ways of incorporating the farmers into the game park activities so that they also benefit from what is realized from wildlife."

Nhema said when farmers see an animal like a kudu, they should see beyond meat as it can generate 500 U.S. dollars if sold.

"The bulk of farmers are into cropping and because of that when they see a baboon, which is going for more than 700 U.S. dollars, they see animals causing a menace in their fields and are not aware that that species can immensely turn around their livelihoods," Nhema said.

He said his ministry has deployed ecologists and game wardens in targeted areas where extensive cropping is being conducted, in order to educate the farmers on wildlife breeding.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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